Following the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Kick-off on Wednesday, October 9th, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center hosted the inaugural MMAC Fall Festival. The event featured food trucks, music, a visit from MMAC's mascot Air Bear, interactive booths from a variety of CFC charities and Employee Associations at the Center. There was even a scarecrow decorating contest! Hundreds of MMAC employees enjoyed the beautiful weather, coming together for a day of celebration and giving.
Cynde Starnes, Management and Program Analyst in the Enterprise Services Center Business & Resources Support Office (AMK-20), is one of this year's CFC Co-Chairs. Starnes remarked, "I enjoyed talking to the agencies as well as enjoying the amazing atmosphere. There was a lot of positive energy. So many people stopping by the agency's tables, as well as a lot of our employees really enjoyed having the food trucks on location. It was great to see the smiles and laughter... All in all, it was a perfect day, perfect atmosphere, and a wonderful way to show our employees how much we appreciate them for their hard work and commitment to our community."
Many MMAC employee associations had booths in the Fall Festival, giving them the opportunity to tell interested MMAC employees about their associations. They also had give-away items, door prizes, and activities such as corn hole, item number and weight guessing games, and a matching game.
Joseph Smith, Supervisory Program Manager in the Space and Property Section East (AQS-233), and the AC/OK Chapter Secretary of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE) summed up the event perfectly. " Post the COVID pandemic, the 2024 CFC event has been the largest participation effort shown by the AC/OK Chapter. More importantly, our NBCFAE members were able to share the history, ongoing efforts of outreach, and STEM support that the NBCFAE provides at the national, regional, and local level."
The scarecrow decorating contest showed the creativity and ingenuity of MMAC employees. Christmas Collom, a medical program coordinator in the Occupational Health Division at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (AAM-700), said, " It was a fun morale-building exercise for us, as it took us out of our daily routine and our comfort zones. We were trying to incorporate what we do here, and we were using it as a promotional opportunity to remind the Center that the clinic is still here, and that we will be fully operational soon."
Jo Jones, an Instructional Systems Specialist Team Lead in the Training Evaluation Branch of the FAA Academy (AMA-023) said, "We loved the challenge of starting and finishing the project in just five days. It's refreshing since a lot of our work can take weeks, months, or even years to complete. The intense focus and the rapid pace kept our energy high and creativity flowing. Completing the project so quickly not only gave us a sense of accomplishment, but it also highlighted how adaptable and resourceful we can be under pressure."
All in all, a great time was had by everyone. Several Combined Federal Campaign charities were on hand to share information about their efforts in our community, and to educate employees about where their donations go, and how any amount of money that is given helps.
